softwateronly

This is a somewhat terrible answer, but here it is anyway. I have a FR705cb that I fished with frequently for 2 months. I bought a XP 706cb and only got a few casts in before ice up. The 705cb is an absolute blast to fish, I threw a lot of different things on it because it was new. The whippy action is really fun, but wasn't ideal for single hook applications, which is pretty obvious. The thing is, it wasn't terrible (1 - 5lb bass and 1 - 35" northern on a 4.8" weedless keitech), so I grabbed the 706cb. In my hand, this feels like a real sleeper of a versatile rod. It seems like it has a softness/backbone combination mixed with above average sensitivity that can really handle any treble baits under 1.75oz and deliver a good sweeping hookset on 1/2oz chatterbaits, swimjigs, spinnerbaits, 3/4 oz open hook paddle tails, 5" texposed swimbaits, etc. It's a stick that I'm really excited to get a fish on in the next month, if ice and work let up a bit. I've never fished a glass rod or a hybrid, fyi... scott

No idea if this is gonna get the right attention in my waters, but I gonna spend some time with 9" uptons custom reapers on a 1/2oz mag shakey head in deep water post spawn thru summer. Also thinking of swimming it on a swing head/tokyo rig. Pretty sure it'll produce a decent pike or a mammoth northern largemouth if I put it in the right spot. scott

I hold the head in my hand and "swim" the tail half in the hot/not boiling water for a few 15-30s rounds. I haven't run into a situation where this doesn't work yet for the plastics I have. scott

I'm thinking the tokyo rig and the swing head can be used interchangeably at times, mainly when bouncing off of hard bottom or chunk rock. My guess is that muck would make the tokyo rig better and that a swing head would provide a better presentation if the bait is swimming just off of the bottom. Don't have enough experience to say definitively. scott

I just bought one and can't wait till open water. Absolute insane price to me, but the craftsmanship is remarkable and the versatility at that length was most appealing. I figured my most expensive stick will fish the baits I enjoy the most, reactive glides, swimmers, frogs, big topwater, 6" soft swimbaits, big swimjigs, etc. Hopefully, everything you and I heard is true! scott

I have the Fury 795swbt as well, and had it paired up with curado dc. This year it'll be with a curado 300 because I spent way too much and added a whole arsenal of rods and reels over the fall/winter. I also have a Tat 200 on a Champ 735. The S waver 200 seems like the max to throw on the 795. I definitely lob a sidearm cast with it and get great distance, but it's a gentle motion for sure. In an alternate reality, I wish there was a 796. That said, I love that rod. It gave me 8 bass between 4.5-6lbs, and 3 35"+ pike in MI in the span of 6 weeks from a 250acre lake. Big baits have changed my mindset on these bodies of water. My only tip, in deep water (15'+) be patient and count down the swaver 200 or better yet let it fall to the bottom before starting the retrieve. That accounted for 3 of those 8, including the largest 2. Also, fishing uphill in the middle of the day seemed significantly more effective in the colder water. Watching a big bait follower commit to eating is now my favorite thing in bass fishing. Congrats on the new addition to the family, sounds like the perfect reason to fish less for a year! scott scott

Yep! Always learn here! Thank you

A-Jay, Most successful for you....Drop shot? Swing head? Ball head? something else? Those look real useful for Lake Michigan. Thanks scott

I do have 2 hands, and think this knot is made out to be way harder than it is if you tie it like the video link. Maybe it was expectation thing, but this knot is now my thing....

Curious, are you using the XH 7'3", 7'6", or 7'11"? I haven't been able to handle any of them in person. Thanks! scott

I thought I'd never tie an fg knot because of the difficulty, but it turns out I find this easier than a blood knot. I don't tie it fast, but I also don't have to tie it often.

That sunline fc 100 shock flouro is really the only dedicated "leader" I have. Everything else is just snipped off of a spool. That said, the fc100 is pretty amazing and I think it'll take over all of my heavier applications. scott

I grabbed the 7'7" expride Heavy/Mod Fast this winter. While looking for opinions online, it seems to not be talked about much, but that 7'6" XH was almost completely missing from the places I searched. Sorry I have nothing to offer, just would love to hear what you think about whatever you choose. Best of luck! scott

I'm trying the mustad fastach heads so I can better match my hook to baits this year, but they only drop down to 1/4oz. Maybe they can hold you over till you get the sweet custom ones made. scott

The bass on my lake don't seem to key in on craws as much as everyone else experiences, so I've been using keitechs on a biffle, fishing them exactly the same way as everyone else is saying and it gets bit really well. Something definitely worth trying in my opinion. scott

I hope that sheet calves into a million pieces and melts away before the daylight!!!! Is it spring yet?

Had a nice run with Invisx and abrasx, gonna try Maxima green this year for a bit more stretch. By the end of May I usually end up with tieable steel leader on anyway because of those pesky pike and the water has changed from gin clear to clear(ish). scott

I'm not that familiar with some of your combos, but you seem set up pretty well. I'm older and have had the bait monkey rob me blind on a bunch of new combos that I can't wait to use more, but finances aren't as tight as they were for me when I was younger. My advice would be to upgrade a rod for your most successful bottom contact presentation or move into a new area, ie glide baits, cranks, etc. I will say that I've seen the biggest improvement in gear around the $200-$300 range. I really love both my St Croix Avid AVS70 ML and M Fast, but Shimano, Diawa, Dobyns, etc all offer excellent rods in that range. I've gotten away from dropshotting the last few years, but I still have a St Croix mojo 6'10" drop shot rod that needs a new tip(insert popped off on a cast after 5+ years running braid-to-leader) and reel. I personally think the Avid is worth saving up for over the mojo, some for sensitivity and a lot for the more comfortable full handle. Also, the dobyns fury casting rods have blown me away in terms of value. Best of luck! scott

Almost all of my lipless success in real cold water (less than 45) is right on or near the bottom, both hopping or a retrieve just fast enough to feel it and killing it periodically to get back on the bottom. All sorts of models and colors have worked for me but if you run across a Luhr Jensen Sugar Shad in bleeding tennessee shad 1/2oz don't bother throwing it. scott

Incoming, neighbors.....

I just realized what I wrote is pretty dependent on the fact that I almost always jig and pop my chatterbaits out of grass, similar to yoyo-ing a lipless. Straight retrieve for chatterbaits has not been very successful for me over the years. scott

I have a Fury 705cb, Champ 706cb, and Champ 734. All 3 will work for 3/8oz chatterbaits, but definitely prefer the 734 and 706cb. I have never fished the Champ 705cb which might have a little more backbone over the Fury. scott

I'm relatively new to baitcasting set ups, but I recently bought a JDM metanium mgl. Asian portal through ebay, all in about $320 and the main difference is that the spool holds less line which shouldn't effect your light line application. I think the new 2020 mgl has returned to internal brass gears over the previous dc version, meaning this should improve the longevity of the reel. I think the learning curve for either the US or JDM metanium 20 is a bit steeper over the dc, but it's cheaper and seems to be an upgrade on the internal components. If I were in your shoes, I'd accept the learning curve and get what I think is the better and cheaper reel. scott

DC 806 HSB - Tat 300L - all swimbaits up to 5oz FR 795 HSB - Curado K 301HG - glides, swimmers, and topwater up to 3.5oz, thinking of trying heavy A-rigs this yr. DC 706 CB - Curado DC 151HG - cranks, topwater, S Waver 168, large jerkbaits and traps, open hook keitechs FR 705 CB - Curado DC 151 - traps, cranks, topwater, open hook keitechs DC 735 C - Tat 200HSL - frogs, all 1/2-3/4oz jigs, mag shakey, heavy swing heads and t-rigs, light pitch DC 734 C - Curado DC 151HG - topwater, chatterbaits, 5" soft swimbaits, swim jigs, traps I got all my champions right before ice up, so I'm unable to say if all these "plans" are valid and am open to suggestions. scott

Haven't spent that much time with my tatula 200 and 300 yet, but the t wing on the 300 is significantly better at handling my fg knot, feels just like my shimanos. Now, it's to the point where I keep my 200's leader out of the reel. My shimano's don't mind the connection knot at all and this has definitely impacted which reels I'm looking at buying next. Giving up on braid to leader doesn't seem like a satisfactory choice, personally. I made most of my rod decisions, I lean toward softer tips and moderate/fast actions, based on the lack of stretch of braid. scott